The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research this week will finalize a document by which it will regulate aspects of the completion of the school year, in particular how the average grades will be calculated, how the school documents will be filled out and how the graduation certificates will be issued, secretary of state at the Ministry Natalia Grâu stated in a debate staged by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, IPN reports.
Natalia Grâu said that when the educational process in institutions was halted and distance learning started to be implemented, the Ministry proposed a number of adjustments and measures for ensuring its smooth running. The teachers overnight had to change the teaching format. “We should admit that the teachers weren’t ready for such a jump. Even if there are the competence standards of 2015, it does not mean that each teacher has the skills needed to cope with this challenge. That’s why the Ministry swiftly launched a number of training courses on how to use different platforms so that the existing resources could be used to a maximum,” stated the official, noting that courses were also staged for educators and for psychologists of education institutions.
According to the secretary of state, the students are often those who help the teachers use the new digital tools. Many of the teachers do not have digital skills, but they use simpler tools, such as Viber, and photograph tasks, make video films where they explain the topic and then receive the homework for checking.
Among the challenges are also the connection of students to the Internet and the provision of students with computers. During the first week, over 18,000 children and also about 3,000 teachers didn’t take part in distance learning as they didn’t have a laptop or a tablet PC. They thus have to work on the phone or cannot connect to the Internet at all. The local education authorities are contacted and asked to offer the teachers computers of the school or the library. There were identified state budget funds for purchasing computers for students and teachers who cannot afford such a purchase. Discussions are also held with the development partners.
Natalia Grâu noted that together with the ensuring of access, the ensuring of the quality of distance learning is also a problem. The Ministry asked the National Student Council to carry out a survey that involved about 7,000 students. 55% of the respondents said they receive a lot of topics each hour and feel extenuated. Only 45% said it is good, noting their psychological and physical condition is taken into account. 12% of the students said they do not do online lessons, but are fragmentarily involved in particular activities. The Ministry will analyze the objective causes of the situation and will decide how to combine everyone’s efforts so that all the children are engaged in high-quality distance learning.
The debate “Impact of COVID-19 on the Republic of Moldova: how inclusive and efficient online teaching process is?” was organized by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
